who do you want to see U2 collaborate with?

[dr. zooeuss]

Here's my initial, partial list, btw

Stevie Wonder
The Who
Radiohead
Wilco
Shakira
Rage Against the Machine
Public Enemy
Al Green
Midnight Oil
The Roots
Ozomatli
Prince
Cat Stevens
Polyphonic Spree
Flaming Lips
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Daft Punk
Moby
Junoon
Cui Jian
Sonic Youth
Neil Young

one or two might have to re-form, but they can do it, right? ;-)

 

[Earnie Shavers]

is this the one? (note: track 12)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duets_(Frank_Sinatra_album)

I love Under My Skin.

The role Bono plays in that duet is sort of like he's in competition with Sinatra over a girl, so I guess at a stretch there's an opening for a coy Madonna in there. Maybe. Somehow.

There is of course also Inner City Blues, the Marvin Gaye tribute album that has (seperate) tracks by both Bono and Madonna.

 

[shart1780]

Peter Gabriel no contest.

 

[dr. zooeuss]

Peter Gabriel no contest.

excellent call. would be interesting to see what they'd do together nowadays. in the 80s this would've seemed very natural, but PG's sound has changed alot hasn't it? haven't kept up with him lately.

 

[AtomicBono]

Rage Against the Machine

yes.

I'm imagining a monster live performance of Bullet the Blue Sky, UNNGHHH, which segues into the badass ending of Bullet in the Head. It'd be so awesome U2 needs to rage more

also

muse
radiohead
dredg
outkast
mos def
system of a down and/or serj tankian
tool
lou reed/the velvet underground (like actually writing original songs together? or have reed sing a song like cash did?)

 

[dr. zooeuss]

yes.

I'm imagining a monster live performance of Bullet the Blue Sky, UNNGHHH, which segues into the badass ending of Bullet in the Head. It'd be so awesome U2 needs to rage more

also

muse
radiohead
dredg
outkast
mos def
system of a down and/or serj tankian
tool
lou reed/the velvet underground (like actually writing original songs together? or have reed sing a song like cash did?)

Now THIS is the type of reply I was hoping for! Nice.


BTBS-BITH- Not a bad idea, but truthfully I wouldn't mind if U2 never played BTBS again (until maybe 2020), I'm so tired of it... I'd be more interested to see what original material they'd write together...

Nice to see another hip-hop fan here ... I almost wrote Talib Kweli (you know he and Mos Def had a group together, is Mos Def still recording, or just acting?) but it's hard to imagine U2 working with him (Kweli) when they've avoided direct collaboration with hip-hop for so many years... I kind of think they would've done that in the 90s if they were ever going to (though I hope I'm wrong there)

Muse, yeah that'd be cool, though maybe a little obvious... Radiohead, I agree, though maybe kind of obvious too... Outkast great call!

System of A Down, another good one, I'd have put them as well if I'd thought about it longer. Wouldn't be such a natural mesh, but if they pulled it off, it could be great.

Dregd, not familiar with...

Tool, meh, I could do without that (no offense)

Lou Reed, that'd be cool, though it's rare to see them work with someone more than once (with the exception of their producers - Eno, Lanois, Flood, Lillywhite..) and they collborated with him live on "Satellite of Love" on ZooTV (which I'm sure you know.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Nice to see another hip-hop fan here ... I almost wrote Talib Kweli (you know he and Mos Def had a group together, is Mos Def still recording, or just acting?) but it's hard to imagine U2 working with him (Kweli) when they've avoided direct collaboration with hip-hop for so many years... I kind of think they would've done that in the 90s if they were ever going to (though I hope I'm wrong there)

I could see them doing something in reverse - ie not hip-hop working with U2, but U2 working with hip-hop, eg Bono or Edge appearing on a Kanye album, not the other way around. I know it will strike fear in the hearts of many here, but there are some great hip-hop producers that I think would make for an interesting mix with U2. Perhaps not on a whole album, but an individual track or one off project. People like DJ Shadow or RjD2 - twist a U2 song into something really interesting.

 

[dr. zooeuss]

I could see them doing something in reverse - ie not hip-hop working with U2, but U2 working with hip-hop, eg Bono or Edge appearing on a Kanye album, not the other way around. I know it will strike fear in the hearts of many here, but there are some great hip-hop producers that I think would make for an interesting mix with U2. Perhaps not on a whole album, but an individual track or one off project. People like DJ Shadow or RjD2 - twist a U2 song into something really interesting.

Yeah, good point. Bono and Edge have both performed live with Wyclef, so it's sort of already happened, in that sense.

When I first heard they were working with Rubin I thought he might be the one to bring them more toward hip-hop, then I realized he's also worked with Country artists, (without having that effect).

I'll avoid getting into what I think about the tendency of U2 fans to dislike hip-hop, and just say I hope you're right. As far back as ZooTV, U2 have had close relations with hip-hop artists, but somehow it has never much influenced their music. I used to be convinced we'd see it "on the next album," but I've grown weary of that prediction lately.

Their failure to make htdaab sound like "Punk Rock From Venus" makes me question whether they are ready to pull off a decent nod toward hip-hop. So many poeople seem to think it would absolutely suck, that I really don't want to see them do it unless they can do it well. (And by "well" I don't mean commercial success, but emotional integrity). Hip-hop influence could've fit on Zooropa, Pop or Passengers, possibly even a touch on Achtung Baby, but NOT on ATYCLB or HTDAAB.

I'd love to see someone like DJ Shadow do some no-holds-barred remixes of early U2, or hear Jay-Z or Kanye sample some guitar riffs from Boy, October or War... about five years ago I'd almost have bet that would've happened by 2007...

 

[U2girl]

Someone their age, REM.

Someone younger, Pearl Jam.

Solo artist, Bruce Springsteen.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Under the assumption that Edge can build a time machine, Bing Crosby or Ethel Merman.

There is a chance that this probably won't happen though.

 

[An Cat Gav]

Dik Evans!!
If not, then I'd like maybe SInead O'Connor or Bjork.
U2's music would lend itself to a female vocalist very well.

 

[WCF]

Red Hot Chili Peppers, my 2nd favorite band! Although of course, I don't see that ever working out. But they're both similar ages.

 

[Mr. V]

holy shit.

Rage Against The Machine for Bullet the Blue Head

Oasis... for something. they can figure it out.

Common for a chilled-laid back lounge song like IYWTVD

yeah.

 

[last unicorn]

If not, then I'd like maybe SInead O'Connor or Bjork.
U2's music would lend itself to a female vocalist very well.

Björk would be very cool!

 

[waynetravis]

Prince
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Moby

Yes please!!

 

[sweetie]

Timberland Everyone else has

 

[alanah]

Elton John, Bon Jovi, Madonna, The Bravery, The Interferers.....

 

[gvox]

Prince
K-OS
Rage Against the Machine

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Under the assumption that Edge can build a time machine, Bing Crosby or Ethel Merman.

 

[Katelin]

ME! haha. I wish.

David Bowie.
(Have they collaborated previously?)

 

[U2One]

Oasis, no contest....

I wanna hear Bono & the Gallagher brothers trade vocals

 

[dr. zooeuss]

Someone their age, REM.

Someone younger, Pearl Jam.

Solo artist, Bruce Springsteen.

see earlier in the thread for REM and PJ.

Springsteen has performed live with them at least three times, probably many more...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kRjAhw_Adk

 

[dr. zooeuss]

Under the assumption that Edge can build a time machine, Bing Crosby or Ethel Merman.

There is a chance that this probably won't happen though.

nice, hmm, yeah maybe not, but kudos for giving your imagination room to roam

if time machines are involved, let me add Lennon, the Beatles, Bob Marley, Ray Charles, Scott Joplin, Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Coltrane, Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, Robert Johnson and Dave Brubeck (in his prime).

 

[dr. zooeuss]

Dik Evans!!
If not, then I'd like maybe SInead O'Connor or Bjork.
U2's music would lend itself to a female vocalist very well.

Dik Evans, there's another time machine candidate... wonder where they'd be if he'd stayed... he's a computer engineer these days?

Bjork! Another great choice... did she ever join them onstage during ZooTV when the Sugarcubes opened? They really should get together, that sounds like a very "likely" collaboration to me for some reason.

Sinead... well perhaps you've heard this, but here's she and Edge from the "Captive" soundtrack-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zrOTFqtAlg

 

[dr. zooeuss]

Red Hot Chili Peppers, my 2nd favorite band! Although of course, I don't see that ever working out. But they're both similar ages.

why don't you see it? i can think of reasons they wouldn't, but also reasons they might. i wonder how keidis and bono get on... i know they've spent at least a little time around one another.

 

[dr. zooeuss]

holy shit.

Rage Against The Machine for Bullet the Blue Head

Oasis... for something. they can figure it out.

Common for a chilled-laid back lounge song like IYWTVD

yeah.

Common is an interesting suggestion. He reminds me alot of Michael Franti sometimes, who they are closer with, i'd imagine, after ZooTV.

 

[dr. zooeuss]

Elton John, Bon Jovi, Madonna, The Bravery, The Interferers.....

Elton John, that could be interesting, though i've heard indications they may not get on seamlessly, over the years.

Bon Jovi, uh...

Madonna on a Frank Sinatra tune, could be interesting..

The Bravery, cool

interferers, uh...

 

[dr. zooeuss]

Prince
K-OS
Rage Against the Machine

nice.

K-OS..
represent hip-hop and Ontario all at once

(I'll refrain from mentioning that it's hard to recall my one brief visit to Ontario without recalling the bad rap song that came to mind when I saw a police car emblazoned with the abbreviation for "Ontario Provincial Police.")













oops

 

[dr. zooeuss]

ME! haha. I wish.

David Bowie.
(Have they collaborated previously?)

another great suggestion- i think Live Aid may be the closest they've come.. same stage.. different sets..

 

[dr. zooeuss]

... ?